Cover for deck openings in railway flatcars



March 11, 1969 E. J. CORDANI ETAL 3,431,868

COVER FOR DECK OPENINGS IN RAILWAY FLATCARS Sheet Filed June 8, 1967 INVENTORS. EUGENE J. CORDANI EDWARD H. SITTNER ATTORNEY March 11, 1969 E. .1. CORDANI ETAL 3,431,368

COVER FOR DECK OPENINGS IN RAILWAY FLATCARS Filed June 8, 1967 Sheet United States Patent 3,431,868 COVER FOR DECK OPENINGS IN RAILWAY FLATCARS Eugene J. Cordani, Florissant, and Edward H. Sittner,

Bridgetou, Mo., assignors to ACF Industries, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed June 8, 1967, Ser. No. 644,534 US. Cl. 105-366 2 Claims Int. Cl. B61 d 3/06, 17/10; B65j 1/22 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A railway fiatcar having a generally flat deck for the transport of either containers or roadway vehicles with cutout portions or openings formed in the deck to receive container corner supports in a retracted position. A separate cover for each deck opening is mounted beneath the deck surface and is pivoted upwardly to a raised position to cover an associated deck opening when the container support is in an erect or container support position. The container supports cover the openings in retracted position and the associated covers are pivoted downwardly beneath the deck in retracted position.

Background and description of invention Copending application Ser. No. 565,420 filed July 15, 1966, now Patent No. 3,391,654, and entitled Railway Car, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by this reference, discloses a railway fiatcar having a flat deck adapted to transport, selectively either containers or roadway trailers. Corner supports for the containers are movable into openings in the deck in a retracted position and cover the openings in such position to form a generally continuous deck surface for the transport of trailers. When the corner supports are in an erect or raised position for the transport of containers, the deck openings are exposed and could result in a safety hazard to workmen and the like walking along the deck of the car.

The present invention provides a covering for the deck opening when the corner supports are in raised position thereby to remove any possible safety hazard resulting 'from an exposed deck opening. The cover is mounted beneath the deck for pivotal movement and is pivoted downwardly to a retracted position beneath the deck while being pivoted upwardly to close the deck opening.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

FIGURE 1 is a top plan of around one-half the length of a railway flat car embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragment of FIGURE 1 illustrating the cover forming the present invention in covering relation to an associated deck opening;

FIGURE 3 is a section taken generally along line 33 of FIGURE 2 and illustrating the cover in covering relation to the deck opening;

FIGURE 4 is a section taken generally along line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a section similar ot FIGURE 3 but showing the container support in retracted position and covering the deck opening;

FIGURE 6 is a section taken generally along line 6-6 of FIGURE 5 and illustrating the retracted position of the container support; and

FIGURE 7 is a section taken generally along line 77 of FIGURE 5 and illustrating the retracted position of the cover.

3,431,868 Patented Mar. 11, 1969 Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of this invention, a railway fiatcar is generally indicated 10 and is adapted for the transport of either containers or roadway trailers. For the transport of roadway trailers, a suitable collapsible hitch generally indicated 12 may be mounted on deck 14 to secure the kingpin of an associated trailer. Hitch 12 is movable between a collapsed position on deck 14 for the transport of containers, and an erect position for the transport of roadway trailers. As an example of a suitable collapsible hitch 12, reference is made to US. Patent 3,262,402 dated July 26, 1966, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by this reference.

As shown in aforementioned patent application Ser. No. 565,420, now Patent No. 3,391,654 stringers 16 extend longitudinally of railway car 10 beneath deck 14. A side sill 18 extends along each side of car 10 and includes an outer vertical flange 20, an upper horizontal flange 22, and an integral downwardly extending edge portion 24 which forms a pocket 26 beneath the associated side sill 18 as shown in FIGURES 3 and 5. Adjacent each side sill 18 is a pair of Z-shaped guide members 28 having opposed upper flanges 30 spaced from each other to form a slot or guideway 32 therebetween. The upper surfaces of flanges 30 are generally flush with the upper surface of deck 14 to form a continuous or flush deck surface.

Mounted within each slot 32 for sliding movement therealon-g to various spaced intervals along the length of associated slot 32 is a container support 34 adapted to support the lower corner of a container C thereon. Each support 34 includes a base 35 with a front guide lug 36 extending downwardly from base 36 through slot 32 and having laterally extending projections 37 thereon extending beneath the adjacent flanges 30 to prevent removal of support 34. A rear guide lug 38 extends downwardly within slot 32 and has laterally extending pins 39 thereon beneath flanges 30.

To position container support 34 at predetermined positions along the length of slot 32, openings 40 are provided in flanges 30 of Z-shaped members 28. Hook-shaped projections 41 are adapted to be received within openings 40 for positioning container support 34. When projections 41 are vertically aligned with openings 40, the projections drop within openings 40 and support 34 is manually moved to the right as viewed in FIGURE 6 to engage projections 41 beneath the flanges 30. To release container support 34 for movement to another position, support 34 is moved in a direction to release lugs 41 from engagement with flanges 30 and is then lifted upwardly as shown in broken lines in FIGURE 6 so that projections 41 may clear flanges 30 and ride along the top of members 28 to another predetermined position. Support 34 has a container seat 42 to support container C and an end wall 43 adjacent seat 42.

To adapt railway car 10 for carrying trailers or the like, container supports 34 may be moved to an inoperable retracted position to provide a deck surface free of projections or obstructions. For this purpose, deck 14 has cutout portions 46 adjacent the ends of guides 28 and end retaining tabs 47 are secured to the ends of guides 28. As shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 in retracted position, support 3-4 may be pivoted downwardly with pins 39 on lugs 38 engaging end retaining tabs 47 to prevent support 34 from being withdrawn from slot 32. End wall 43 has marginal edge portions 48 engaging the adjacent deck 14 and upper flange 22 respectively, as shown in FIGURE 5. Thus, end wall 43 of container support 34 covers cutout portion 46 and forms a continuous deck surface in the retracted position of support 34. For further details, ref- 3 erence is made to copending application Ser. No. 565,420; now Patent No. 3,391,654.

Normally a pedestal or corner support 34 is provided for each cutout portion 46 whereby upon movement of the supports 34 to retracted position for the transport of trailers, all of the cutouts or openings 46- are covered. If flat car is adapted for the transport of four containers, sixteen (16) corner supports 3-4 and sixteen (16) cutouts 46 would be provided. However, for the transport of containers, deck openings or cutouts 46 would be exposed and might present a safety hazard to workmen or the like on the railway car.

The present invention provides a separate cover generally indicated 52 for covering each cutout 46 when associated support 34 is in erect position. Each cover 52 is mounted for pivotal movement within the pocket 26 of the adjacent side sill 18 and includes a U-shaped bracket 54 secured to the underside of flange 22 of side sill 18. A supporting rod 56 is carried by bracket 54 and extensions 58 of cover 52 are mounted for rotation on rod 56. Cover 52 is generally Z-shaped to form stepped portions and includes a lower flange 60, an integral web 62, and an upper horizontal flange 64 having a downturned end portion 66 as shown in FIGURE 3. The arrangement of such a Z- shaped cover 52 permits cover 52 to be mounted beneath adjacent side sill 22 and to be pivoted upwardly to close opening 46 while receiving the adjacent downturned edge portion 24 of side sill 18. To provide a partial housing for cover 52 in the retracted position thereof, an outer plate or member 68 is secured to vertical flange 20 of the adjacent side sill 18 and has a horizontal extending lower end portion 70 extending beneath cover 52 in the retracted position thereof. Outer plate 68 extends downwardly from side sill 18 and forms with side sill 18 a side sill structure.

To secure cover 52- in covering relation to opening 46, a locking pin 72 is mounted for sliding movement within openings 73 of extensions 74 on the upper surface of flange 64- as shown in FIGURE 3. Pin 72 has an outturned end portion 76 for manually gripping. A detent 78 on pin 72 may be aligned with an elongate portion of opening 73 upon rotation of pin 72 thereby to permit unlocking of pin 76 and retraction of cover 52. A spacer 82 on the extending end of pin 72 bears against the adjacent deck surface 14 in the closed position of cover 52.

From the foregoing, it is to be understood that a separate cover 52 is provided for each deck opening 46 and is pivotally mounted beneath the adjacent generally angleshaped side sill 18 to pivot downwardly to a retracted position while pivoting upwardly to close opening 46. This arrangement does not obstruct the deck surface in any manner when in retracted position. When cover 52 is in closed position as shown in FIGURE 3, the flatcar 10 is adapted for carrying containers. Therefore, pins 72 do not interfere with any movement of tractors or the like along the deck surface since flatcar 10 is not being used to transport trailers. When trailers are transported, openings 46 will be covered by corner supports 34 which will easily permit tractors or the like to be driven thereover without any hindrance or interference.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results obtained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A railway fiatcar adapted to support a container thereon comprising, a generally flat deck, a side sill structure extending longitudinally along each side of the deck, each side still structure having an upper inwardly extending horizontal flange forming a continuation of the deck surface to provide a generally flush and even deck surface and a side member extending downwardly from the upper flange, at least a pair corner supports adjacent each side of the car adapted to fit beneath and support the lower corners of a container, means mounting each corner support for movement between an erect position above the deck and a retracted position in which the deck is not obstructed, a cutout portion of the deck to receive an associated corner support when the support is moved to retracted position and being exposed when the associated corner support is in erect position, said support forming a covering over the associated cutout portion of the deck in the retracted position thereof and a continuation of the deck surface whereby roadway vehicles may be moved over the support, a separate cover for the cutout portion when the support is in erect position, and means beneath the horizontal flange of the side sill structure pivotally mounting the cover for downward movement to a retracted position beneath the deck and upward movement within the cutout portion for forming a continuation of the deck surface and a covering for the cutout portion, said cover having a pair of stepped portions with the lower stepped portion being mounted to said side sill structure for pivotal movement and the upper stepped portion forming the covering surface for said cutout portion when the cover is in covering relation to the cutout portion, said cover when in retracted position being positioned closely adjacent the side member of said side sill structure beneath said upper flange whereby the side sill structure forms an area for storing the cover in retracted position.

2. A railway flatcar as set forth in claim 1 wherein means are provided on the upper stepped portion to releasably secure the cover in covering relation to said cutout portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,125,959 1/ 1915' Campbell 10'5243 1,569,997 1/ 1926 Moller 243 X 2,071,620 2/ 1937 Fitch 105243 2,585,126 2/1952 Holland l05368 2,736,602 2/1956 Ault 105366 X DRAYTON E. HOFFMAN, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

